Electric water-heater



L. E. SEIIIIBILLE.- ELECTRIC WATER HIETIH.

- APPLlcATloN FILED sEPT.24. 191B.

Patented June 28, 1921.

Figui.V

l f Im IIII'I Attorney.

LOUIS ELIE SEIMBILLE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC WATER-Haaren.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentgd Jun@ 28, 192L- 1 Application led September 24, 1918. Serial No. 255,519.

To all whom. t may concern Be it known that I, Louis ELIE SEIM- niLLn, abbot, of 42 Rue du Montparnasse,

Paris, France, have invented Electric Viater- Heaters, of which the following' is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to electric water heaters and has for its chief object to provide a compact and efficient heater combined with a cock or faucet and adapted to heat ruiming water to any desired temperature Within a very short time.

This object, and others, which will be apparent from the following description, are accomplished by arranging in a-casing of small cross-section, connected with a water supply pipe, one or more resistance ,elements adapted to be immersed in the water that is caused to iow through said casing. These resistance elements are preferably in the form of metal wires or strips `detaeliaoly mounted inthe casing, and they are in direct Contact with the water to be heated so that the entire amount ofthe heat generated by passing an electric current through the resistances will be utilized to heat the water. Any suitable metal may be used in said resistance Ydements, non-oxidable metals beingpreferable, thougdiv rather costly. Very good results have also been obtained with metals which are only slightly oxidable or are rendered so by applying thereto a galvanoplastic deposit, a thin layer of enamel or any superficial coating adapted to resist the' action of current and water. Resistances of nickel-chromium, thus protected, have been subjected to a current of 15 kilowatt hours for more than 300 hours Without' The connections are preferably such that the current is switched on as soon as the cock is moved from its inoperative position, and

` a uniform current is supplied during the further operation of the cock, so that the resulting temperature of. the water will be in linverse pi oportion' to its rate of flow, and any desired temperature will be obtained by moving the cock to a predetermined position.l

It will be observed that by wholly immersing the resistance elements in the water' an electric currentl of greater intensity may be sent therethrough than if the resistances were incased, as in most heaters of usual design. This arrangement of the resistances and the use of elements of very small cross-sectioii and a Casing of small capacity insure a high eiiiciency and a remarkable quickness' of action iii bringing the water to the desired temperature.

Figures l to 8 of the accompanying drawing show in vertical sections, by way of example, various embodiments of the invention.

The apparatus shown in Fig.. l is constituted broadly by a casing a in which the transformation of the electrical current into heat is effected. This casing, which may be ofl any suitable shape, ispreferably of earthenware, porcelain, steatite or any other material which is a nonconductor and not attacked by boiling water:

The water under pressure is fed through a pipe 7) which `opens into the lower partfof the casing a, and it flows away at the upper part thereof through a pipe c.

The casing a contains the resistance (l fixed and coiled in a spiral on an insulating support e. To prevent the resistance from oxidizing or disintegrating it ought to have the least possible number of points of contact with its support c. To this end, the support is not constituted by a plain cylinder, but by a coluinii of polygonal or other form presenting sharp edges between which the water can circulate freely and surround the resistance on all sides.

The ends of the resistance (i are connected to two external terminals f, f connected by conductors to the source of current. The admission of water into the apparatus is regulated by a cock g the opening ,of

which to a greater or lesser degree allows the temperature of the water to be graduated at pleasure. The current is sent into the apparatus by a two-pole switch it which is preferably connected with the cock g in such a way that the operator has only to operate said cock to open a passage simultaneously for the water and for the current, the passage for the current being effected by the contact of the switch h vwith the stationary contacts i, i.

As soon as the cock g is moved from its closed' position the switc'h t is closed andit remains closed during the further operation of the cock as it isl gradually brought to the fully open position. Likewise when the cock g is returned to the closed position` the switch 71 is not thrown open until the flow oi 'ater has been completely stopped. "VV ith this arrangement a uniform current is sent through the resistance wl'icnever the water is ruiniii'ig.` and whatever be its fate ot motion. rlhe amount of heat imparted to the water, consequently, depends solely upon the length of time it remains in contact with the sistance (l, and the temperature oit' the water issuing` trom the casing is inversely proportional to its rate of tlow. ily suitably operating the cock g it thus possible to heat the water to any desired temperature, the immediate contact between the resistance and the water insuring.;` a )ractically instantaneous adjustment 'of the temperature conditions brought about by the operation ole the cock.

The cock g and the switch t may be ot' the 1to1-1n shown or of any other suitable shape. rllhere may be adopted for example, the arrangement which consists in connecting' by a Cardan joint the prolonged spindle oi." the cock to the spindle ot an ordinary bipolar commutator.

The water which enters the lower part ot' the casing a arrives in the very reduced spaces j, y comprised between the walls ot the easing;` and the superheated resistance or resistances d; in Contact with the resistant-es the small quantity oi1 water which is contained in the spaces j? j, absorbs the whole of the caldries produced and escapes throughby the pipe c; it is replaced at once and Without interruption by the ascending eolunin 'of Water, which constantly goes on Cooling down the resistances and runninpr away when heated to the desired extent.

Fig. Zshows a niodilication in which the resistance (Z formed by a non-oxidin: ble metal wire or ribbon is held freely in a spiral in the casing;` a, instead ot beinp` fixed upon a support in the case ot Fin: l.

In the modiiication shown in Fig'. 3, the resistance isearried by an insulating` support e as light is possible7 and havinga helicoidal groove in which the resistances is arranged.

The apparatus yshown in Figs. 2 and 3 may, of course, be provided with the cock and switch arrangement illustrated in Fig.

tcm ior the 'l and their operation is tno saine as that of the enibodiment first described.

ln each ol' the apparatus above described, it. is essential that the section ol the water delivery tube be greater than that oi the cock in order to prevent the water troni spouting out .oi the appa atus under a high pressure.

The water is admitted in all cases, into the apparatus at the base oi the casingA e and flows away therel'mni at the upper part so that even when at rest, the resistances always remain protected against an abnormal rise ot temperature.

The apparatus fis electrically insulated Yfrom the leaden pipes which have to supply it by a pipe oi any insulatingmaterial such as ebonite, porcelain, caoutchouc, etc., l'or a ("iistance at least centimeters.

The resistances may be otl ditl'erent materials accordingl to the length ot' life it is dcsired ,to insure to the apparatus, and accordingto' the use for which the hot water is intended.

lt must be quite understood that the forms, materials, dimensions and details oi the apparatus may be varied according to requirements, without departing: thereby 'from the principle ot the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

l claim:

An electric water heater comprising a narrow eloiigated casing, a water supply pipe opening` into the bottom part ot' said casing, a valve in said pipe, a discharge spout oi larger cross-section than said supply pipe connected tol the top part ol said casino', and means 'controlled by said valve 'lor heating the water in said casingn to a temperature inversely prol'iortional to the rate of Yl'low of the water, said means including a switch and acoiled resistance element in immediate Contact with the water in said casingl and wholly innncrsed therein.

The 'foregoing specification of my sysinstantaneous and electrical heating' of water signed by me this Z4-th day of August, 1918.

i LUUS Elillil SllllilBlLLl. llitnesses Gnnmnn liloniso'r, Franois l/Vnnn. I 

